


A Happy Day

by wisteria_hime



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Cute, Future Fic, Gen, Happy Ending, KnB 10th Anniversary Zine: Reunion, Kuroko Tetsuya's Birthday, Post-High School, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 02:22:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20332477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisteria_hime/pseuds/wisteria_hime
Summary: It’s been 5 years since Kuroko’s 16th birthday, where he received the best present: his friends were reunited, and all wore smiles on their faces. Now, all his friends have come back to celebrate his birthday again. Although the glory of their high school basketball teams is behind them, the warmth of those bonds still remain.





	A Happy Day

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone ^_^ this was my fic I was lucky enough to be able to contribute to the KnB 10th Anniversary Zine: Reunion :) I hope you will enjoy it and everyone else's works that you see. We all gave lots of effort and I hope you will feel happy reading this!!

Kuroko loves his birthday. It was one of his favourite times of year, and he knows it sounds selfish, but it’s a day he really looks forward to. After all, he’s typically forgotten every other day of the year, but nobody could forget about him on a day meant just for him. Being good at misdirection is a double-edged sword, really.

It means a lot to him to have his friends remember and show up to see him again. They were gathered, _again_, in Kagami’s apartment. Just like the first time, 5 years ago. He was only 16 then, and now turning 21. How time flew. Not everyone could make it, and Kuroko understood that. It was part of growing up. Although, those that weren’t here had sent him messages or called him earlier. He truly was the luckiest person, to have such people in his life.

“My IT apprenticeship is going pretty good,” Fukuda comments, and Kuroko comes out of his ruminations and back into the fray of conversation going on.

Kawahara nods encouragingly at him, “Classes at university are hard, but I’m learning a lot.”

“Me too. Even though I really enjoy my course, I still love playing basketball,” Furihata adds, and smiles in his nervous-but-earnest way.

“Playing street ball on the weekends is fun,” Kuroko nods assuredly, and is rewarded with three bright grins, “specially when we end up on the same team, again.”

“I can probably catch a street game with you guys before I’m on the road again,” Kagami chimes in, catching his former teammates’ attention instantly.

“Really, Kagami?”

“You mean it?”

Kagami was always travelling around Japan to play matches with his local basketball team. Even though they attended the same university, Kuroko saw much less of him nowadays. But, Kagami never forgot about him. Still played in their university games whenever he was free, eager to see their team and help in any way he could to achieve victory for them all.

Giving a big, decisive nod of his head, Kagami lights up, “Yeah! How ‘bout it? This weekend?”

Beside him, Himuro rolls his eyes but there’s a smirk slanting his lips up amusingly, “Typical Taiga. Even when he’s playing basketball every day, he’ll go and play it during his free days.”

“Alright. I will hold you to your word, Kagami-kun. Please don’t be late like last time, that was embarrassing,” Kuroko quips, never turning down a chance to tease his old partner.

“Damn you. I’ll be the _first _one there, just you wait,” Kagami growls under his breath, but Kuroko can never take his threats seriously. Not when he’s seen Kagami cowering in fear at the mere sight of Nigou.

“No fair! I want to play too! My flight leaves tomorrow, and I can’t cancel it or my manager will really kill me,” Kise whined, his high pitch tone making Midorima grimace, never being a fan of excessive noise.

Kuroko places his input slickly, all while maintaining the most bored expression on his face, “We can make do without you, Kise-kun.”

“So mean!” Kise huffs, rubbing away the imaginary tears.

“Somehow, we always end up talking about basketball when we all get together,” Momoi sighs happily, stirring the straw in her cup, “even though we’re not in high school anymore, I guess we haven’t changed that much.”

“Of course. Basketball is how we all connect with each other, and how we better ourselves as players and as people,” Akashi says, addressing all of them with a warm smile that becomes contagious around the room, “and even though I have chosen to pursue another path in life, I will continue to love and play basketball for as long as I can. Hopefully, with all of you as well.”

Midorima nods sagely, “I agree. Being on my university’s basketball team shall mark the end of my basketball career. Though I have every intention of continuing to play basketball in my leisure time.”

“That’s so like you, Midorimacchi. You’re going to be an amazing doctor!” Kise offers him a pat on the shoulder and a grin, to which Midorima averts his gaze but nods awkwardly, hint of a smile on his face.

“Hey Shin-chan, when you’re fully licensed, can you do my check-ups at like half the cost?” Takao asks, his tone serious but sly smirk sliding onto his face gave him away.

“Of course not, fool.”

Aomine snorts, swallowing a mouthful of noodles and meat before answering, “Midorima’s forever stingy.”

“And you’re doomed to a live the life of a sloth, lazy beyond all acceptable limits,” Midorima sniffs haughtily.

Quick as always to jump to his own defence, Aomine points his chopsticks at all of them rudely, “_Oi!_ I’m gonna be a pro basketball player one day, and when I am, I’m not gonna talk to you any of you guys after I get big and famous.”

“Aominecchi! You wouldn’t cut us off, would you?” Kise exclaims, dismayed, then he quickly adds, “plus, I’m actually the most famous person here. Did you all see how my popularity increased by 8% in just a month?”

“If he mentions that damn statistic _one more time_…” Kagami murmurs, the gist of what he was saying reciprocated by pretty much everyone else who could hear him. He exchanges a look with Himuro, and the two excuse themselves to go into the kitchen.

“You don’t need to worry, Kise-kun,” Kuroko chimes in, shaking his head, “Aomine-kun won’t cut off the only friends he has. If he did, then he’d be really pathetic.”

Soft, genuine laughter fills the room. They’re all bickering like children, but the familiarity of it resonates like an old song.

“Hey, you know you’re 21 years old now Tetsu, but you really haven’t grown much more since high school,” Aomine chuckles, “that’s more pathetic if you ask m-” the rest of his sentence cut off with a choked gasp, having earned himself a swift jab to his ribs.

“I can still serve a mean counter, Aomine-kun,” drawing his hand back, Kuroko folds it neatly back on his lap, looking away when Aomine starts making pitiful faces at him.

Kagami and Himuro are walking back into the room with something they’re carrying over carefully. As they get closer and closer, it’s revealed to be a cake, and Kuroko’s heart soars at the gesture.

“Can’t have a birthday without a cake,” Kagami says, placing said cake in front of Kuroko.

Kuroko graces him with a thankful nod, staring up at the other gratefully, “Thank you for your hard work, Kagami-kun and Himuro-san.”

“Nah, it’s nothing,” Waving it off, Kagami sets about getting all the plastic dishes and serviettes ready.

“It was our pleasure, Kuroko,” Himuro says kindly, finishing up with lighting the candles and stepping back so everyone could admire their handiwork.

There’s a moment of awe and appreciation, but that is broken when Kuroko turns to Kagami specifically and says, “Also, I hope you know me well enough and this cake is vanilla flavoured.”

Kagami drops his hand down on Kuroko’s head, palming it like he used to in their high school days. Only now, he doesn’t squeeze as hard and Kagami is smiling, “Of course, who do you think I am? Every other day after practice you’d be drinking those damn vanilla shakes.”

“Tetsu, you still like those?” Aomine grunts, squinting his eyes at Kuroko in a judgemental manner.

Kuroko draws back slightly, offence evident in the unblinking stare he turns on Aomine, “What a ridiculous question, Aomine-kun. Vanilla shake is the best dessert in the world.”

“Eh, Kuro-chin, you’re always so plain and boring. There’s so many yummy flavours out there, and you stick to vanilla every time.” Murasakibara offers, munching on some of the cookies. Kuroko was almost certain he had demolished the entire bowl himself.

Kise turns to him, all a glitter when he speaks, “Murasakibaracchi’s right! Why don’t you try expanding your tastes more? I just tried a salted caramel drink the other day and was blown away!”

Kuroko graces him with a delightfully deadpan look, and replies cuttingly, “Kise-kun, not everyone has such disgustingly sweet tastes.”

“Atsushi, don’t eat the cake yet,” Himuro addresses Murasakibara with a soft, chiding voice, catching the way he was staring fixedly at the massive cake.

Pulling a face, Murasakibara grumbles and leans back, “I know. It’s Kuro-chin’s, so I won’t eat it.”

“As long as you know, then it’s all good,” Himuro smiles at his teammate, his endless patience with Murasakibara after all these years still boggling to the mind.

“You may have a slice, Murasakibara-kun, as may everyone else who wants one,” Kuroko states graciously, because food always tastes better when it is shared with friends and family.

“Don’t forget to make a wish, first!” Furihata pipes up, getting a little flustered when he draws attention to himself. Kuroko smiles, nods and closes his eyes.

He wishes to spend his next birthday exactly the same. Once he blows out the candles, Himuro sets about cutting it up into slices. His portion control was much fairer than Kagami’s, so it made sense for him to do it.

“Tetsu-kun, here,” Momoi spoons some of the strawberry off her slice and onto his plate, “you can have my strawberry, since I know how much you like fruit!”

“Thank you very much, Momoi-san. But, please, don’t give away all your cake to me,” Kuroko tries to tell her, but she keeps heaping on the fruit so Kuroko doesn’t protest again.

“It’s fine! I don’t mind sharing if it’s with you,” she grins sweetly at him, and he nods at her gratefully.

“Aww, isn’t that nice? Shin-chan, why can’t we be that close?” Takao asks, feigned hurt in his tone as he leans heavily against his old teammate.

Midorima abruptly breaks the contact, maintaining his personal space bubble and crossing his arms, “As if I’d ever let you or want you that close to me.”

Conversation buzzes around him, and it covers Kuroko like a warm, favourite blanket. Still, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander. Being in high school was so much easier than being in university. Kuroko could just devote his time to studying at relatively normal hours, and playing basketball the rest of the time. He missed the days of being a full-time player.

“What is it, Kuroko? I can see there is something on your mind,” Akashi queries, inadvertently gathering everyone else’s attention and now they were all waiting for a response.

Giving a small sigh, Kuroko purses his lips thoughtfully, “It’s just, I’ve been thinking about my future lately. Even though I’m still in university, I know for certain I want to keep playing basketball. Not as a hobby, I want to be a professional player.”

“It’s just, sometimes I wonder if it’s possible for me. If perhaps, I might be too specialised for the professional leagues...”

Silence settles between them all for the first time since they reunited tonight. He regrets saying anything immediately. This was supposed to be a celebration, a coming together of old friends. Kuroko wished he could be stronger, to not let these things bother him as much as they did. But, these worries and doubts still weighed on him. Even though Kuroko loved basketball more than anything, he wasn’t sure if that was enough...

“That’s never stopped you before, though,” Kagami eventually says, the first to speak up and break the silence. Kuroko stares over at him, shocked, “whenever you hit a wall, you just find another way to get over it. That’s why we won all our games back in high school, because of you never giving up.”

Kise swings an arm around his shoulders, nodding vigorously like one of those dogs with the bobble-heads, “That’s right, that’s right! You’re amazing in terms of player material, Kurokocchi! Your passes keep getting better all the time, you’re so strong it’s crazy!”

“You’re always coming up with new, crazy techniques. Even now, Satsuki still can’t figure them out so I can beat them,” Aomine waves a hand at him, both irked at the fact and happy about it.

Momoi sighs, half-fondly and half-exasperated, and nods her head, “It’s true. You’re as unreadable as ever, Tetsu-kun. That type of skill is so hard to come by in basketball.” 

“Kuro-chin, you scored the first shot against me back then. If you can do that, I think you can do anything,” grumbling, Murasakibara is looking down at his cake, but his words belie his true feelings on the matter.

“Atsushi’s talking big, but he’s right. Of all people, we never expected you to be the dangerous shooter back then,” Himuro tells him with a reminiscent smile.

“Besides, professional teams need more members like you and me out there,” Takao chips in, winking over at Kuroko, “being a support player is a hell of a task, especially in the heat of the game when everyone’s worried about what’s in front of them.”

“It is simply a matter of the right scout watching you at the right time,” Midorima states, looking at Kuroko with his ever stoic face.

Akashi smiles, giving a nod, “Midorima is indeed correct. A talent like yours is underestimated, Kuroko, but when noticed it becomes an unstoppable force.”

Kuroko is wide-eyed, staring around at them all in utter astonishment. Everyone honestly believed he could play at a professional level. Their genuine words, the looks on their faces, the way they didn’t hesitate at all. In that moment, Kuroko felt their united belief in him thrum in his veins and thaw his cold thoughts instantly.

Everything would be okay. He had so many people believing in him now, and Kuroko felt like he could truly take on the world.

“Thank you so much, everyone.”

Having this reunion was well overdue, but it was so much harder now to meet with everyone all at once. That was why Kuroko always made the most of his birthday, January 31st, every year. Seeing all of his precious people once more, laughing together like the old friends they were, and sharing memories warmed his heart to its very core.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! My twitter is @wisteriahime and you can follow me there to see me scream about all my fandoms and ships and OTPs ^^" 
> 
> \- Hime ♡♡♡


End file.
